Tagged: FPS

Revenge Of The Cats: Ethernet is a free experimental online multiplayer FPS with unique gameplay: Alternate between the pure energy “ether form” and the physical manifestation called “CAT”.
Capture territory and defeat enemies using a multitude of weapons, grenades, and target-seeking discs that can be deflected and steered around corners.

The IndieGoGo crowdfunding campaign to resurrect the game as a proper open-source project by re-creating it with a modern cross-platform engine already raised over $1000!
Only $452 are missing right now, and with just one week left, the creator of the game would like to encourage everyone to spread the word about the campaign, so that Revenge Of The Cats: Ethernet can join the ranks of open-source GNU/Linux games.

1. Please tell me about your team ,how many people are you and what each does ?

We’re currently two partners working full-time on the project; Kim Haar Jørgensen (Game Director) the visionary man behind Interstellar Marines, and Mikael Garde Nielsen (CTO) the guy in the engine room making sure all the wheels are turning.

On top of that we have assembled a core roster of extremely talented people who have all worked on the project at some point, and are ready to go full-time when the resources allow for it. Their experiences range from small unknown indie titles to big blockbuster games like Crysis and Deus Ex, and they all share the same intense desire to realize this ambitious project with us.

2. Originally you made a prototype using the UDK engine … which in my opinion looks graphically better than the current game (shame UDK doesn’t support GNU/Linux). Please tell me what happened after the well received release of the prototype ? why didn’t you continue developing the game with UDK ?

Good question. Actually the prototype was made on an UE3 evaluation license back before there ever was an UDK. The publisher demo that we created was well received, however when we found out that no publisher were willing to risk their money on a new IP and an unknown team, during a financial crisis, we changed gears and tried our luck in crowdfunding, which eventually lead us to changing to the Unity engine.

The main reason that the demo graphically looked better than the current is that we had a 2 team working on it, compared to 4 people on the current Deadlock prototype.

3. What made you move from UE3 to Unity ?

With the UE3 evaluation license we were not allowed to show off our work to the world unless we paid the multi-million dollar price tag on the engine (remember, this was before UDK was available), and we worked out that in order for us to be successful in crowdfunding we would have to show more than just ideas to the public. We had to show playable prototypes.

At this time the Unity3D engine were quickly gaining grounds, and it seemed like the natural choice for us, so we decided to try it out and we haven’t looked back since.

4. What features are added or missing game wise after the engine switch ?

It’s kind of hard to compare the two; the UE3 publisher demo served as a vertical slice to sell the vision to publishers who normally required such demos at the time, whereas the Unity prototypes serves more as proof of concepts of the various central features of what is to become Prologue.

5. Will it be a deathmatch/arena only FPS game or a campaign/missions are planned in the future ?

From the outset Prologue is a game that is focused on training scenarios, whether that be in multiplayer deathmatch to single-player target practicing or co-op hostage missions, everything is built around fun and engaging combat in an immersive training facility, where you’re constantly improving your proficiencies as a candidate for the Interstellar Marines battalion.

6. Why do you show the outdated UE3 videos from 2008 on the main Kickstarer campaign page and not the current Unity videos ? I mean the UE3 videos look better, but your current game looks much different and it’s no longer represent it.

As described before, the prototypes zooms in on the various features of what is to become Prologue but we still feel that the old videos from 2008 is better at showing “the big picture”. They most accurately portrait what kind of game and style we want to deliver, despite their age.

7. You strive for realism and simulation, and your game so far looks great and is heading to the right direction. How will the damage in the game work ? will you be killed from 1 shot ? or can parts of your body be damaged ? (like if you aim for the leg, the person won’t be able to use it and will crawl, or shoot his hand and he will lose his weapon).

Prologue will feature simple component damage to destin; which means thatWe’re simulating a lot of immersion effects to enhance the belief of looking out the eyes of your character and when it comes to e.g. being fatigued, stressed, wounded etc. we’re always considering which audio / visual cues we can implement to enhance the immersion.

8. What kinds of arena games the game will have ? (deathmatch, capture the flag etc…).

We’re planning to have all the standard game modes that we all love to play in other games; Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture The Flag, Domination etc. In addition to this, and since the game is about training for “first contact”, the training scenarios will be controlled by a all-encompassing AI (SARA), which controls both the simulation of the environment (rain, lights, sounds, access ways etc) and the mission parameters (objectives, AI, allowed equipment etc.) which opens up for a whole range of possible game modes.

9. Anything you would like to add ?

Like the Linux community and open source movement, we are all about honest and authentic communication. We believe that inviting the fans to play our game at a very early stage, makes for a much better result, and this is why we’re openly sharing our prototypes and work-in-progress builds with the community.So we hope we will gain a few Linux fans out there, as we will need all the feedback we can get from now until release of Prologue.

Some time ago I’ve been contacted by Gabe Kerr, he wanted to tell us about how an indie game developers named “Sick Kreations” who created the game “End of Days:Infected Vs Mercs“, listen to the community and patch/fix/improve their game upon request.
However the game currently has only an Xbox client (which doesn’t sound promising), but Gabe Kerr contacted the developers and they said that a GNU/Linux client is “In the works”.
Now that this matter is settled, I can publish his story

“Hi, I’m contacting you with regards to this amazing story I have recently watched develop in the past 3 weeks.
There has been an over-whelming amount of acknowledgement and gratitude given to us the fans from a developer in recent history.
Just recently an Indie game known as “End Of Days” Created by: Sick Kreations has swept the Xbox marketplace by storm.
It has grabbed the attention of many Youtube commentators and game developers nationwide. “ONLYUSEmeBLADE” A Youtube commentator himself single handedly made this game go from “Just another FPS” to possible “Call Of Duty Killer” and a little under a week.

This video has reached over 1.4 MILLION views in 6 days !!!

The creators of the game (Sick Kreations) watched his video and took his opinions into consideration.
Not only did they improve the game itself they made it even more fitting for him! With the understanding of his frustrations of using the knife, they accommodated him and fortified the knife to better suit his and our needs.
One person made a video and they respond by fixing/patching it in under a week!
I have never seen a game developer respond so fast and listen to the people with such willingness.
Sick Kreations is now a game developer I will forever trust and stand by for the rest of their service in the gaming community.
They truly do listen to the fans and take every complaint and complement into consideration.
This is what builds trust in your fans and consumers and this is what EVERY gaming company should strive to do.
Here you will find the thread they made to personally address ONLYUSEmeBLADE and the fans issues.”

In our Indie Gaming world, lots of developers listen to the community – but for a Windows user who usually plays “blockbuster” games from big developers with huge budgets, listening to the community is unheard of.
So here I say thanks to all the indie developers who listen to the community and choose to support GNU/Linux.
THANK YOU ALL !!!

Lukewarm Media, The developers of Primal Carnage The dinosaur FPS I’ve wroteabout have decided to change engine.
Instead of the beautiful Unigine they have moved to the free as beer UDK (Unreal Development Kit).
As UDK doesn’t support GNU/Linux, and the UT3 port failed due to unknown reasons, a GNU/Linux port to Primal Carnage seems unlikely.
Lukewarm Media explain that the engine change was made due to the poor support of it’s developers Unigine Corp, but some people disagree.

Please note that the quotes are in no particular order

Lukewarm Media Announcement (From Mr.Veo ) : Due to a change in engines, from Unigine to the UDK, Primal Carnage will not be available as a Linux game. This was never the original intention, but it is the one unfortunate side effect in the otherwise good decision to move the game to the UDK. Additional reasons will be provided in the posts below.

The first number of posts in this topic have been pulled from the UDK announcement topic, which had become overwhelmed by the Linux rage/debate. If anyone wishes to discuss the matter further (though there is little point in discussing it) do so here, and not there.

Thank you.”

AshtonAndersen From Lukewarm Media wrote :
“Making a game is not easy, especially if you have no funding or resources, we tried our very best to work with unigine, however unigine is a un-finished engine and stopped giving us support. We were having a lot of trouble trying to keep our team together as well as recruiting people who would be willing to learn that tool set. We switched to the UDK because it gives this game a greater opportunity and much bigger chance of success and gives us the option to port to psn / xbla and PC. As I have mentioned, we simply were not getting as much support from the linux fanbase to keep the project going on linux.”

“It was either we switch engines, or primal carnage never gets done. We decided to switch engine.”

“I’m very sorry but it’s not fair to be mad at us, you can blame unigine for not supporting our project.”

But a Unigine Corp employee nicked binstream thinks differently :
“Well, that’s something new to know. What about the following help from Unigine side:

* Full license for the engine free of charge
* Promotion of Primal Carnage on Unigine official booth at GDC (however, you claimed somewhere that it was YOUR booth :shock:)
* Tickets to GDC for Primal Carnage team
* Free DirectX 11 hardware for the team
* Industry contacts, including AMD and NVIDIA
* Linux publicity
* Donation for your hosting payments
* Detailed PC build reviews with improvement suggestions
* Direct support from our CTO

If this is called “not giving support” so I’m definitely missing something.

“I have nothing bad to say about Unigine. You guys have been great. it’s just not working out for us at this stage.” (c) Ashton Andersen, Tuesday 24 August 2010.

Since the engine IS finished at this stage, our engine team don’t introduce OilRush-related changes to the codebase at all, they are working on further technology improvement and customer feature requests.

Anyway UDK is a really nice solution, I wish the team good luck with releasing PC in time, you have really talented artists on board.”

As Lukewarm Media are not experienced game developers, and most of their work till date were making mods for existing games this engine was “too hard for them”, UDK was built for FPS games, easier to master and free as beer.

Many GNU/Linux users contributed to Primal Carnage and now demanding (and getting) their money back – and rightly so.

rf2 wrote :
“I asked [Ashton] personally in May/Early june about Linux support, because I had my doubts.
- We’re doing Linux 100%, [ashton] said.
- Yes it’s under control, [ashton] said.
- Linux is a very important market for us, [ashton] said.
[ashton's] responses made me donate, because I took your(ashton’s) word for it.

This announcement is basically a big FU and a kick to my face. I have no sympathy for the team, and I hope they utterly fail.

And I still want my money back!”

But many Windows users still don’t get why the GNU/Linux users want their money back :killer-rex :
“god your selfish u know that take away the money from the devs to make the game good job you people are acting childish”

linuxuser also comments :
“They were totally cool with accepting donations and advertising Linux support while they knew there would be no Linux version. Thats deceptive to potential donators and customers.
They could have at least said there would be no more Linux version as soon as they decided to switch, but not revealed why at that time. It would have been much more courteous to us Linux users instead of falsely advertising a service they knew they weren’t going to provide.”

“Call it whatever you want, but the people asking for a refund donated specifically because of the Linux version.”

“The Linux users aren’t the ones to blame if the game doesn’t come out.
What if the roles were reversed and there would be no more Windows version. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t be at least a little bit ticked? Is it okay if they take your money then screw you over?”

And yet there are a few GNU/Linux who don’t want to refund their donationb0uncyfr0 :
“I for one donated ONLY because i saw the devs talking about linux support. Now to hear that linux has been tossed out is a big disspoaintment for me. Sure you have your reasons but stringing us along for months with “Something big is coming to the UDK!” which then changes to “Linux is dropped, sorry” is very cruel.

Some of you guys have to understand that some of us donated ONLY because of linux so venting out is with good reason. And i dont want to hear “ok use windwos then”. Well im sorry but i dont use windows and frankly never will.

Im not going to ask for my money back but im not supporting this game anymore. Its not your fault as some of you have said and it certainly isnt my fault so ill leave it at that.

If i were the devs, i would strongly look into getting a linux client from this new engine and delivering something. At the very least, TRY….and give someone back to all the nix community which jumped behind you when this game was announced.”

Cybolic was mad that they didn’t check if it was possible to port UDK games to GNU/Linux before changing the engine and didn’t update their front page about the GNU/Linux version and donations :
“I can understand if the developers don’t have the experience needed to support Linux or other reasons that ends in a situation where they can’t provide support for Linux – what I can’t understand is that this was apparently never even considered an issue, there was no attempt to try to support Linux themselves, no call for help from the community, not even the courtesy to post the news that Linux is no longer supported, and until today the website wasn’t even updated, still telling people that they could donate and that the game would support Linux.
Even now there is no mention of dropped Linux support on the main page. There’s a big donate button however, and a mention of the Unigine engine supporting Linux on the About page… guess it wouldn’t hurt them if a few more Linux users donated after reading misleading information?”

“When exactly did you ask for help? You started by saying that Linux support wouldn’t happen, not that you needed help. As I said earlier, had you simply asked or even explained the situation (even just mentioned it) you would probably have received offers.”

AshtonAndersen From Lukewarm Media replys :
“Ok, you made your point we should of been more clear about the linux situation. As it’s something we are still looking into at this time and you’re right, we should of made a proper announcement about it. As of right now we are doing the best we can, we are refunding all linux donators and I have apologized on the teams behalf all ready. I’m not sure what else you expect from us.

You do not need to continue being on these forums or supporting our project anymore as you made it very clear that you want us to fail, since in it seems that if the linux community can’t have this game then no one should. I give my apologies to you again sir and maybe one day UDK will support linux where we will be able to port our game over. Maybe you can help us do some research to find out how.”

Danni who uses the unigine engine for his own game wrote an interesting comment that sums it all :
“I have dealt with both the primal carnage and unigine teams and after thinking about this for a bit want to weigh in a bit.

Primal Carnage is a small team and relatively inexperienced. This will be their first title. I can’t believe that they were offering the Linux version with anything but the best of faith. I really can’t fathom why Primal Carnage had so much difficulty with support from Unigine I personally have found them one of the easiest companies to get tech support from. However I have noticed that some of the less technical members of my office have found things less easy and I did find them less responsive while they were doing the PS3 port was around the time that Primal Carnage did need help.

Unigine is also a young and small team and relatively inexperienced in their field. The engine itself is great. There are quite a few things that it does better than UDK. However the artist tools aren’t really up to the same standard, some subsystems are a bit buggy, and the render system is quite intricate and takes a bit of work to get your head around. Quite a few of the subsystems that come out of the box in UDK have to be handwritten in Unigine.

In the end I think it comes down to the fact that Primal Carnage don’t have the skillset to make unigine work for them. There are not a lot of people available with Unigine coding skills if they try to get somebody to get somebody into the team with the skills.

As for UDK being better, industry standard etc. I know a lot of programming teams who have used UDK and regretted it. It works well for some projects and not others. I imagine it will be a good fit for this game however.

To those complaining about the Linux users being angry. Do a little experiment for me
. Find a dog, give a bone – then take that bone away.”

I’ve emailed the great GNU/Linux porter Ryan Gordon about the UDK and the UT3 issue, unfortunately he had no answers for me

LGN :
“Will it be possible to port other UDK games to GNU/Linux ? if not, why ?
What about the next UDK released (UDK4 for example that is not came out yet) ?”Ryan :
“UT3 taught me to never comment on anything that isn’t shipping right now. So, sorry, but I have no information about any possible or impossible UDK port.”LGN :
“The real question is if it would be possible for you to port Primal Carnage to GNU/Linux or it’s hopeless ?
If there is a chance for you (or any other porter) to port a UDK game to Linux then we can still have hope, but if the problem is in the licensing and bureaucracy of the engine itself – then it’s a whole different issue.”Ryan :
“I don’t have any answers for any given title, or the UDK itself.
Seriously, I don’t talk about Unreal at all anymore.”

Ryan didn’t say a definite “No” at least, so maybe some other game porter (Frank Earl, if you are reading this – please consider the possibility to port this game to our beloved platform) could try and port Primal Carnage to GNU/Linux.
Although UT3 port failed I suspect it wasn’t a technological issue but a license/bureaucracy related (the port was almost finished waiting for it’s release if you recall).

Primal Carnage is an upcoming multiplayer first person shooter where the player takes the role of humans or dinosaurs.
It is being developed by the new indie studio Luke Warm Media who also developing the “Light Spire: Fortunes Web” mod for Crysis (which might became a stand alone game some time in the future, currently the development is on hold).
Primal Carnage is planned to be released for GNU/Linux as well as other platforms.

Dinosaurs have been unleashed on an old military controlled island due to an experiment gone awry. A team of mercenaries have been dispatched to contain the threat.
Primal Carnage is a multiplayer first person shooter where players must work as a team to complete game mode dependent objectives. In Primal Carnage, you can play as one of two factions: dinosaurs or humans. Both are filled with special unique classes and abilities that complement and contrast each other.

“What can we expect to do as dinos in-game? Can you eat people? Can I take a bite out of someone sitting on a toilet, for example?Well although it’s been discussed amongst the team at whether we should allow the human players to sit on a toilet just so we could re-enact that iconic moment from the original Jurassic Park, alas it is probably a feature we’ll be leaving out. Being serious though, as a dino you’ll be able to do all the things you know and love about dinosaurs; Biting, flying, jumping, spitting, and of course bellowing out an ear splitting roar to disorient the human players around. Some dinos will perform a combination of the two. For instance a raptor is an avid jumper, and he may just be able to jump attack humans and chow down.

What dinos will there be to choose from?Our line-up includes the major favorites from the meat eaters. The Velocilraptor, Pteranodon, Compy, and even the mighty T-Rex will all be playable dinos in our current line-up. Oh yeah, and I can’t forget Dilophosaurus! Also, you will definitely get a good glimpse at a few of your favorite vegetarian dinos as non playable characters including but not limited to Stegosaurus, Brachiosaurus, and Triceratops.

How will the human side be able to handle such fierce competition? (Weapons, vehicles)An important mechanic to our game play includes a class based weapon system. Each character will have a different load out and set of skills and weapons to use. Without getting into too much detail, each character will have a weapon that is more useful against certain dinos. You’ll see the usual array of weapons, including the Sniper Rifle, Rocket Launcher, Assault Rifle, and Shotgun along with some special varieties of weapons, one of which will shoot a net to trap dinos. Needless to say, there will be quite a bit of variety between the classes. As for vehicles, all I can say is that you’ve got to have some wheels if you want to escape a T-Rex.

What kinds of game modes are planned?Well of course we’ll have the standard “capture the point” style game play mode. The core of this game play centers on the human team trying to capture points across a map. Each point has a couple of objectives that need to be completed before it can be captured. For instance, a generator might need to be refueled before you can take the point. Once all of the capture points are obtained, the time runs out, or the players are all wiped out, you’ll switch to the dino team to live out those carnage filled dreams we all had as children and do your best to stop the human team from capturing the points. We hope this will encourage both teamwork and a competitive vibe to the game. The other major game play type I’d like to fill you in on is a survivor mode. This is a multiplayer coop mode against NPC dinos where the goal is to stay alive until your vehicle makes it to its destination. I don’t want to give it all away, but there will be stops along the way and more team based objectives to complete

The team and I will be announcing the game engine we are using, screen shots, game play videos and dozens of concept art and renders within the month of January and so on. Along with information on the game, classes, game modes, etc so please watch the game carefully, check for updates and as I know it is a bit early to vote for us, keep it into consideration!

So stay tuned and check their temporary Primal Carnage website for more info and content !

Thank Max Zettlmeissl for letting me know of this game a few days ago…

Brink is an upcoming FPS game developed by SplashDamage with the use of id tech 4 modified engine.
SplashDamage made several games for id software.
Among those games are : Wolfenstein:ET and Wolfenstein MP (Multiplayer) , Doom3 MP and Enemy Territory: Quake Wars.
This is however, their first original title without id software’s help (except the licensed id tech 4 engine).

About Brink

Description:
Brink is an immersive shooter that blends single-player, co-op, and multiplayer gameplay into one seamless experience, allowing you to develop your character across all modes of play. You decide the role you want to assume in the world of Brink as you fight to save yourself and mankind’s last refuge for humanity. Brink offers a compelling mix of dynamic battlefields, extensive customization options, and an innovative control system that will keep you coming back for more.

Story:
A man-made floating city called the Ark, made up of hundreds of separate floating islands, is on the brink of all-out civil war. Originally built as an experimental self-sufficient and 100% “green” habitat, the reported rapid rise of the Earth’s oceans has forced the Ark to become a refuge for humanity. Crammed with the original Ark founders, their descendants, as well as tens of thousands of refugees, the Ark exists in total isolation from the rest of the world. With 25 years of social unrest, the inhabitants of the Ark have reached their breaking point. It’s up to you to decide the future of the Ark and the human race.

Key Features:Blurring the Lines Between Offline and Online – Advance your character’s development across every gameplay mode: single player, co-op, and multiplayer. Gain experience points that you can spend on customizing and upgrading your skills and abilities, designing an entirely unique look and feel for your character.Groundbreaking Kinesthetics - Brink uses the familiar shooter controls that you’re used to, without frustrating, artificial constraints and takes advantage of a new feature: the SMART button. When you press the SMART button, the game dynamically evaluates where you’re trying to get to, and makes it happen. No need to perfectly time a jump or vault, the game knows what you want to do.Context-Sensitive Goals and Rewards – Objectives, communications, mission generation, and inventory selection are all dynamically generated based on your role, your status, your location, your squad-mates, and the status of the battle in all gameplay modes. You’ll always know exactly where to go, what to do when you get there, and what your reward will be for success.Virtual Texturing – Brink’s proprietary technology, Virtual Texturing, breaks new ground on current-gen consoles and PCs with an even greater focus on highly detailed characters, realistic environments, lighting, effects, and atmospherics,. This competitive lead on the squad-combat genre helps thrust players into the gritty reality of the Ark’s epic secluded arcology.

The GNU/Linux port is currently unconfirmed but highly possible, if the publishers “Bethesda Softworks” won’t object.
From the GNU/Linux port for Brink Forums thread :

Dev – RR2DO2 :” In the end, the Linux version causes a lot of extra headaches. If there is someone dedicated on the team to support the client (which mainly involves porting a lot of the simd code, implementing functional windowing/input/sound backends as well as deal with any compatibility/performance problems at the rendering side) then there is a chance that a Linux client will be made. Usually this involves someone’s spare time as a hobby project. Getting just the headless linux dedicated server up and running is a lot less effort, as this tends to be mainly based on code that is inherently written in a cross-platform manner.
Yes, Linux games can have a relatively high % of people buying a product in a short time, part of this is because there aren’t many games out there as well as dedication to their favourite platform that makes people buy these games. This shows their dedication to their platform. However, a lot of these people will also be able to run Windows and create a VM or dual boot to play there games – often because the Windows experience will likely guarantee a more tested and stable way to play. Unfortunately, from a commercial POV there is no real critical mass yet in this segment. This is unlike the Mac market, where a port is more likely to be profitable.”

“TTimo works for id, he is not involved with Brink. Any potential linux work is an in-house SD effort at the moment.”

“We use OpenGL for Brink. Partially because of our legacy, partially because it provides a nice platform for cross DX9 and DX10+ class hardware, partially because of the portability. Yes, D3D has some nice debugging tools that at times I wish I’d have for GL, but at the same time there is not enough of a reason to change to D3D and support two renderer backends on the PC (D3D9 and D3D10+).
Moving tools into dlls was completely separate an issue – tools have lots of non-game specific code in there that just complicates the code base in certain ways. Having them more isolated made things nicer in certain ways (and more of a pain in others).”

Dev – Rahdo :“all i can say to this is the ball is in Bethesda’s court. if they see the financial incentive to do Linux (or mac) ports, they’ll do them. if not, they won’t. it’s their money, and you’ve got to take the argument to them. we’re just trying to make the best game we can”

Hamish Wilson, member of our GNU/Linux community made a nice (and long) post trying to convince the developers to make a GNU/Linux port for Brink :“Hello everyone,

I know that this is my first post here, and I got an account here only to post in this thread. I will probably not come here often, and this account will probably be mostly inactive. For this I apologize. However, when I found this thread during a Google search I felt I needed to post some information.

As has been previously revealed, Timothee Besset has said that about 5% of QuakeLive players play from Linux, which is about average for their Linux game ports. Not a huge amount, but more than enough to make a port marketable. And has also previously been stated, Linux users tend to be more dedicated to their games so this percentage likely increases as a game ages and many other players start playing the latest new flashy soulless games instead. On Timothee’s blog there was also an interesting post by someone saying his family alone probably gives id roughly $1200 per game. His family only buys Linux games. Not a huge amount of money, but from one family that is quite the dedicated investment.

I will also redirect you to another Linux friendly developer, Frictional Games, which has had experiences on Linux that have been nothing short of remarkable. During one weekend alone last summer they managed to sell 3000 units of their Linux box sets. In a recent interview with one of the companies head people, Jens Nilsson revealed how their games sold by platform. It makes interesting reading:

Windows: 80%
Linux: 12%
Mac: 8%

You should also keep in mind that the Linux and Mac ports did not receive any backing from any publishers and they rely on word of mouth marketing by their fans for knowledge of the game to spread. Only the Windows version received any marketing. Also note how a dedicated Linux fan-base can beat a more lethargic Mac one if the conditions are right.

As far as I can tell the game already uses OpenGL, as the technical director so kindly informed us earlier, and all that it needs is for someone to put the time into building the port and fixing one or two errors that may pop up during porting. The problem is no one at Splash Damage has any prior background in this and are of course already busy working on a game that is worth playing. Timothee Besset is in no way involved with this project, as such he is unavailable for porting. Do not despair however, there are people willing to do this for you.

Ryan C. Gordon is the obvious example. He is the guy behind the Mac and Linux ports of UT2004/2003 and several other games. What makes him even more desirable for this project is he even has experience with idtech4, being contracted by Human Head to port Prey to Linux. He has also been known, if the situation is right, to do the port for free in some cases, as he had done for Postal 2 and is currently doing with Aquaria. Splash Damage is taking its firsts steps to independence, and naturally they do not want to invest in a potentially risky venture if it costs them. He might very well be willing to do the port for free to allow you to see what Linux has to offer, so if the experience is good, you would be willing to pay him to port, for lack of a better example, Brink 2. He could also probably give you a Mac port in a pinch. There are other porting contractors out there as well such as Frank Earl, and of course there is always Linux Game Publishing.

At this point you may very well be asking “This is all very well and good, but even if the port is done for free it is not as if we would gain anything substantial. Is it even worth the effort to contract a porter?” My answer would be a definite “yes” for many reasons. As has already been mentioned, porting a game exposes more bugs than even a debugger possibly could. Just ask Ryan or Timothee about it, they will be sure to back me up. However, the one which I think would be of specific interest to the kind folks here at Splash Damage is the recent problems the game “Wolfenstein” has had with it’s sales figures. Wolfenstein, in case you did not know, strayed a wee bit too far from the nest making it so Timothee was not able to make a port for it. Due to this many Linux users boycotted the game. I am sure many of you have read the news reports from last August about the game’s poor sales. Did not having a Linux port cause this? Probably not. Would a Linux port have increased sales? Definitely, they would have at least gotten that guy’s family’s $1200, not to mention all those boycotter’s money.

Why is this relevant? Well, to be honest I have seen some worrying signs for Brink. Several news sources I have viewed online when receiving Brink news have seemed none caring or ignorant of its existence. I have read more titles like “Brink has been delayed, which is shocking! Because we didn’t even know it was coming out.” then I wanted to. Since this is Splash Damage’s first game without id offering them support, it is essential for it to succeed. In a market like we have today it is important to diversify and find new sources of income to support your development. It is also especially important not to piss off already established fans. All your previous titles have been more than popular on penguin-powered machines. Linux could very well be the next big market, and it already is a very appreciative and vocal market. Emphasis on the vocal there, we won’t stop talking about the good games on our platform. With things looking the way they are it might be something you really do not want to ignore.

Incidentally, I was meaning to add this to my original post but forgot about it while I was writing (yes, it took that long). Anyway, here is my rough count of the people who said they would like a Linux client on this thread:

Fourteen people want a client (I am including myself in there of course)

One person said it would be interesting if there was one at least, and one person just said it would probably be not that hard to do. I counted about four or five people who said it would not be worth it. Keep in mind though, they would not boycott the game because a Linux client was made so it is not like you are losing customers there…

I would also like to add even if Ryan needed the money it would probably still be worth it considering he could probably give you a Mac and Linux port for the price of one. But considering he seems to have given somewhere between 500$ – 999$ to the FSF last year…

http://www.gnu.org/thankgnus/2008supporters.html “

If you want to help bring Brink to GNU/Linux you can make your voices heard !
Post in the GNU/Linux thread asking for a GNU/Linux client for Brink.
Write to Splashdamage developers asking them to volunteer making a GNU/Linux client in their free time like TTimo does.
And more importantly write to their publishers Bethesda Softworks asking for a native GNU/Linux client.
The power is in your hands – you can make it happen.

“What does NS2 have to offer NS1 players aside from incredi-graphics?
We are mixing real-time strategy elements and first-person elements unlike any game before us. Like NS1, there’s a full tech tree, buildable structures, upgrades, 5 alien player classes and Commanders on both sides. We also are focusing on dynamic game elements, including dynamic infestation, weldable bulkheads and doors, a “power grid” that can shut down areas of the map and disable structures temporarily and the proverbial much more.”

“What can you tell us about the game’s level deformation feature?
We have “dynamic infestation”, which is a bacterial goo that grows wherever the aliens go. It will break through welded doors, turn off lights, destroy computers and generally create chaos wherever it goes. Go to here to see it in action.

What other features do you think are important?
We have four “pillars” that we’re designing the gameplay around (link). The first pillar is “Two Unique sides”. Both sides (Marine and Alien), are totally unique. For instance, when playing as an alien, we will increase the field of view and blur the edges of the screen a little to make it feel like you have a different kind of animal perception than the humans.

The second pillar is “Real-time Strategy”. This is where our resource model, tech tree, buildable structures and Commander mode comes in (top-down view used by some players).

The third is “Dynamic Environments” which basically means the game will never play the same way twice. The dynamic infestation is part of this, as are weldable and breakable doors (for dynamic map routes) as well as lights, power sources, lifts, etc. that respond to the game events.

Finally, “Unlimited Variations” is our modding architecture. Our entire game is written in “Lua” script and will be released with the game, along with our level editor, script debugger and everything you need to modify NS2 or make your own game. Adding a new weapon is less than 100 lines of script. You can change the resource model, add new AI units, change any UI element, etc. Our game engine has no concept of NS2 at all – everything NS2 is written in script. So everything from Commander Mode to player movement code to weapons is all effectively open source and shipping with the game, so you can be sure players will add all sorts of new game modes, abilities, etc. Maybe we’ll even get our own “Counter-strike” on NS2!”.

Features

Two Unique Sides
Whether you play as one of the elite marine Frontiersmen or the vicious alien Kharaa, you must use unique strategies and your abilities to win. Marines form persistent squads to find and destroy alien hives. Aliens can choose a wall-running Skulk, pudgy Gorge, flying Lerk, murderous Fade or gigantic Onos that can smash through doors.

Real-time Strategy
Commanders play from overhead to lead their team to victory. Build structures anywhere, collect resources and research upgrades. Marines buy weapons at an Armory or build sentry turrets and siege cannons to assault the enemy. Aliens build upgrade chambers, evolve special abilities and plant traps.

Dynamic Environments
Spreading alien infestation deforms hallways and causes space station power failure, turning off lights and shutting down marine powered structures. Use a flamethrower to clear infestation or weld a bulkhead shut for a last defense. Every game is different.

Unlimited Variations
WYSIWYG graphical tools and powerful scripting allow you to create new weapons, scenarios or entirely new games. You’ll get all our tools and Lua source code we’re using to build NS2. Ongoing automatic updates keep the game fresh by adding new maps, weapons and abilities.

The long time GNU/Linux supporters ChronicLogic in cooperation with ZeroHourGames are working on a new title named Micro-Warrior.
Micro-Warrior could be played like 3dr person shooters and 1st person shooter.
In MW you fight viruses inside patients bodies curing them from their diseases.
You have many weapons in your arsenal to destroy the weird parasites of your host.

Using stunning visuals and solid fundamental game play,
Micro-Warrior thrusts you head first into the epic
battles waging inside us all.

Track a super-virus patient by patient. Combat it directly
and help the world’s top scientists generate antibodies
and one day, a cure.

Micro-Warrior pits you against a sinister viral plague that is waging a secret war against mankind.

The battlefield could be you. Control a Micro-Warrior bot injected into infected hosts. Fight the virus directly, inside of living human patients!

Your goal: Terminate this virus with extreme prejudice to save as many people as you can.

Use your Micro-Warrior to collect samples of the virus and its mutations to manufacture antigens and cure your patient. Keep your bot running smoothly with power modules and batteries. Link up to the Lab to upgrade your shields and weapons or download new melee moves tailored to the evolving threat.

Micro-Warrior’s power reserves are limited and the plague is spreading fast. You know what you have to do:

Track. Treat. Terminate.

Game Play :
You are given a ward of nine potentially infected patients. Select one, then inject the Micro-Warrior to assess the patient. How well you manage your bot and treat the patient will dictate the overall state of the patients in your ward. Contain the plague with no casualties for a perfect score.

The virus is manifested in three basic forms, each more deadly than the last and all capable of mutation. Fight to break the Virus’ cycle of evolution by selectively targeting weaknesses in the chain of mutations. The virus mutates from patient to patient and each individual infection will require a unique strategy.

Gather samples of any new mutations you discover along the way. Transmit this information to the Lab so they can manufacture enhancements for your bot. To fight the evolving enemy, the key to survival is adaptation. The Lab will transmit back enhancements and advanced weaponry customized to fight the new mutations. Stockpile these to power up and reconfigure your bot.

Using classic FPS controls, maneuver your bot through various organs and arteries. The Micro-Warrior’s internal gyros keep it oriented to your control view even while jumping and jetting through the patient’s body.

Features:
Unique, interactive, living levels: Play in soft, bouncy levels where every surface is in play. See your progress reflected in the health of the tissue as the patient gets better or worse. See, hear, and feel the changing condition of your patient from the inside.

Evolving creatures: Witness and track countless strange mutations. Experience dynamic foes that get tougher over time and adapt new behaviors as you play.

Customizable Micro-Warrior bot: Gain powerful melee moves and unlocks. Collect upgrades for the power supply, weapons and shields. Reconfigure your bot as the battles get tougher, requiring more energy and firepower.

Non-linear game play: Never experience the same exact level more than once. You can develop many approaches to win, adapting your tactics to match your enemies as they become progressively more lethal.

Patient Management: Fight, quarantine and control the spread of the virus from the outside. Use your wits and help from the Lab to prevent a world-wide pandemic!

Dark Salvation is an horror FPS game built with id Tech 3 engine and meant for mature audience.
It’s developed by Mangled Eye Studios.

In my eyes Dark Salvation demonstrates few things …
1. id software’s GLPed engines are still alive and kicking, and more and more games use their FREE engines.
2. There is money to be made from GPLed software EVEN on the single player gaming business.
3. Once a game made with FREE software is released, parts of it will benefit the community as a source code that could be then used in other projects.

While Dark Salvation is not fully FOSS , they mean to release a SDK and the source code which the GPL license demands.
I assume that the graphic part will stay proprietary as in id software games.
They also working on a GNU/Linux and Mac clients – so stay tuned !

A little about the game…

Dark Salvation features 14+ levels filled with horror, monster slaying action, puzzle solving and magic casting.
The game offers 10 weapons as well as special items, each weapon can be used to cast spells.
Dark Salvation offers great soundtrack which is given for free as a separate music cd if you order the “box” version of the game (currently available for Windows only).

Update
It has come to my attention that this game was in development for 7 years, and that they licensed the id tech3 engine when it was still proprietary.
They said they will still release a source code , but there is no indication of what exactly.
In my opinion there is no need to leave the source code of “their” id tech 3 modified engine closed when the engine was freed years ago.